http://www.sakagaze.blogspot.com is the blog address for some of the cool and not so cool observations by Anindo Sen, a passionate Kolkatan. Kolkata is likely to feature prominently on this blog, just as it is likely to feature the personal preferences - as far as films, books or music or other finer aspects of life are concerned.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

This is a list of 100 of my favorite Bangla films that I have had the opportunity of seeing over the years.
I would like to recommend viewing of these very films to understand and appreciate Bangla Cinema, that has undergone much evolution.
I have consciously avoided the segregation of the films into mainstream and parallel genre. However, I have tried to see that the films which appealed to me as a viewer are also of some substantial interest in general.
I am grateful for the endeavor of my dear friend Iman Bhattacharya, without whom I wouldn't have been able to rely on memory alone.
[Aishwarya Rai in 'Chokher Baali']

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Comedy - as a genre - is far more difficult to execute in films or on television. Seldom does one come across quality comedies, and that's true for Bollywood or the world of Hindi Cinema too, which churns out comedies at the drop of a hat. Most of our comedy movies are crass, sub-standard and vulgar. It is a sad but true admission.
However, even in Hindi films, we have had some very good comic offerings in the past and the not so recent past. Here's looking at some of the grand comedies that I have enjoyed over the years, and only few ride the 'subtle humour' horse; some of these do make use of coarse and slapstick humour and some even walk the thin line between comedy & vulgarity. However, it is a fact that I would like to recommend these to all viewers who are interested in Hindi films and/or comedies:

And when it comes to comedy series or sitcoms on television, the popular fare in Hindi is largely banal. But even before the inception of satellite or cable television in India, we had the good fortune of having some excellent comedy series like 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi', 'Dekh Bhai Dekh', and 'Idhar Udhar'. Later came some brilliant sitcoms like 'Zabaan Sambhalke', 'Mungerilaal Ke Haseen Sapne', 'Shreeman Shreemati', 'Shubh Mangal Saavdhan', 'Office Office' and 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai'

However, on Indian television, what has made a far greater impact in recent times are the advertisements that do become instant successes, regardless of the products or the services promoted, using the comedy genre subtly and skilfully. And the ad, or the series of ads, that come to my mind using the unique comical excesses of just one man: Aamir Khan in his multiple makeovers, using multiple regional catch-phrases, for Coca Cola.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Aamir Khan has always been distinctive. Even his harshest critics would have to agree on that for sure. He had always had a perfect Mr Clean image, till he ruffled some feathers in big bad Bollywood, and seemingly the affected or aggrieved lot included some Bid Daddies of the industry who found it extremely discomforting to be reminded of their mediocrity. The tabloids started pointing their guns at Aamir, only for their selfish interest of raking controversies, as we all know that the tabloids survive with their regular feed of filmy gossip, while Mr Aamir Khan did not oblige the gossip-mongers. It was in the latter half of the nineties that things took a major turn with the leading dailies and media-houses trying to outdo one another with a celebration of mediocrity in all fields, and with the turn of the century we also witnessed the Page3 culture and its widest ramifications in electronic and print media. Aamir Khan would more often than not be baited by the media on inconsequential matters. Like his endorsing of Coke, the cola that was accused of crossing toxicity limits; or the alleged affair with Jessica Hines, the British film journalist................ the list went on.

A man of Aamir's integrity did not play to the galleries. But he started courting controversies - as if! His personal life was shattered, his marriage to Reena, his childhood sweetheart, collapsed. Professionally, we did see him chart new history, reach new peaks. Post-Rang De Basanti, his stature was supposedly a threat to the tabloidwallahs whom he avoided like plague. He asked to be allowed to keep his private life private. Is it too much to ask for a celebrity? I wonder.

As if turning the spotlight on his second marriage (he married his one-time assistant, Kiran Rao) or on his kids was not enough. There was a political backlash from the ultra-reactionaries of Indian politics, who bayed for his blood! His crime: He spoke in favour of the distressed and the dispossessed, and made an exhibition of solidarity for the underprivileged, cutting across political doctrines or narrow selfish divides! Attempts were made with great gusto to make the Aamir Khan starrers like 'Fanaa' and 'Taare Zameen Par' bite the dust....... but such attempts were unsuccessful! Aamir's blog that helps him connect with his audience, minus any intemediaries, have also come under the scanner very often. Just because he is candid, and does not bend backwards to pressurising of any kind, and that he stands by his convictions and righteous beliefs.

Now the overblown spat between ShahRukh Khan and Aamir is has become the latest hot issue to be banked upon by the media. Aamir Khan may be best known as Bollywood's Mr Perfectionist but of late he has been given the tag of Mr Competitive. And it all started with a rather jovial quote: "Well what can I say Shah Rukh always likes to be in the second position," Aamir has been quoted saying. Thereafter, when asked if he had a chance to interview Shah Rukh Khan what will his first question be, Aamir reportedly threw back, "Thats a tricky question. I would ask Shah Rukh how does it feel to be second after Aamir?" Is it really a grave comment on his fellow actor's calibre? I won't say so. I am sure most will agree with me on that. He would never stoopp so low to downplay others' merits. He even did not do it to his detractors, why would he do it to ShahRukh, who has been 'a good friend'?

Maybe the wind would soon blow over. Egos are as large in Bollywood as the lavish multi-crore productions themselves. And the egos are bruised too often - sometimes the burns and the bruises are carried to the grave, but mostly they heal too soon with just a clarification or two........ and as a true admirer of Aamir, I hope for the latter. Earnestly.
I am praying for the triumph of the winsome hero! Aamiriaana will surely be the winner all the way!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Aamir (born on March 14, 1965) was first introduced as a child artiste in the film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). However, he did not act in umpteen films like many of the child artistes are known to do. Aamir went on to become the state tennis champion for Maharashtra. Aamir also fell in love with Reena, the girl next door, in the meantime. He proposed to her the day he turned 21, and she accepted. But apparently, there was opposition since she was from a Hindu family and he, from a devout Islamic one. So, they eloped, got married and returned to their homes. Aamir's first film as solo hero was 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' after which he never had to look back. He became a phenomenal success with that launchpad of a film. But from there he has come a long way too. From an actor who blossomed with youthful romances, he came of age and came into reckoning with sterling performances and has eventually evolved into a responsible maker and a creative visionary.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

It is that time of the year again...... the time to celebrate the best films - as the Oscars are given out - essentially it is the muscle flexing of Hollywood, but for us movie-buffs it is also a chance to see some of the acclaimed films that might not have been seen in theaters had it not been for the promotional mechanism going great guns worldwide.

Unlike previous years, here in Kolkata, the lure of big Hollywood releases has dwindled in a major way. Many of the biggies have been biting the dust at the multiplexes of Kolkata in the recent times.
There are many factors - the principal amongst being is the erosion of single screen clout in niche pockets. The multiplex-going audience watches the latest Hollywood blockbusters many months before their big screen release in Kolkata, and hence people can hardly be expected to queue up for the ones that do get released at long last. The distributor chains are thus reluctant to release or promote English-language films in Kolkata. And the trend and culture of watching good English-language films at the theaters is on the wane. Unless a franchise film like 'Spiderman' or 'Harry Potter', with a cross-market appeal, is released, we Kolkatans have to look forward to watching good films on Home VCDs and DVDs only!
I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to watch some of the Oscar favorites in February, the Oscar-month, itself!

And here's the report card: 'Atonement' is the one that I enjoyed most. It is a profound period love story that resonated every which way. 'Michael Clayton' is remarkably poised in its anti-Capitalist stance; very humane, very brave, and very eloquent. 'Eastern Promises' is a shocker of a film for more reasons than one; however, it isn't as effective as Cronenberg's earlier indictment of Americana ('A History of Violence'), but immensely watchable (strictly 'not for all') for the gritty depiction of brute force. 'No Country For Old Men' - which won the top honors at the 80the Oscar Awards - has been a huge letdown for me, I would have liked the film better had not been so grossly overrated; the Coen Brothers have made far better films in the past that are less indulgent and less pretentious, 'Fargo' being the very best. There was yet another surprise, and this one was pleasant, in the form of the Disney offering called 'Enchanted'; nominated for the beautiful songs, which keep ringing in one's ears long after the end credits have scrolled, it is a treat for the entire family. The tongue-in-cheek allusions to the classic fairy tales being firmly planted, the joyous celebration of romance in 'Enchanted' is very very infectious (as the sweet chipmunk Pip seems to be pointing out in the picture on top), to say the least.